An important part of successful communication is the ability to speak successfully. Adults must be able to speak clearly and succinctly in a variety of situations, from private social gatherings to business meetings.

Speaking and listening skills are important for interviews, consumer activities and so much more. Yet an alarming number of students leave school without having achieved these skills. One reason for this is that students learn to fear these situations at an early age. Another may be that teachers find it difficult to create opportunities for practising and developing public speaking skills.

Speak Up attempts to alleviate these difficulties by providing a range of activities to develop public speaking skills, with a focus on delivery, voice use and audience.

Author: Sally Murphy